Re: Forget Sovereignty

Oh shit! You are friggin’ correct, Godfrey. If our municipal governments cannot even regularly patch our streets and clean our drains, how the hell can we expect Central Government to begin leading us on the path to economic success? For that to happen, we need a long term vision, good visionaries, true leader-servants and effective administrators. I dearly hope that we have what it takes because I have no other country to run to in times of crisis, unlike many of our leading politicians. Belize is my home and no place else.

Re: Forget Sovereignty

You hit the nail on the head Godfrey. Only one problem, when you were Foreign Minister you were in charge of carrying out all these "token diplomatic functions". What did you do to attract foreign investment? If you were only right about one thing it would be about the fact that " the country hobbles along from government to government, patching here and band-aiding". This is proven by the fact that our current Foreign Minister is a dunce!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

You hit the nail on the head Godfrey. Only one problem, when you were Foreign Minister you were in charge of carrying out all these "token diplomatic functions". What did you do to attract foreign investment? If you were only right about one thing it would be about the fact that " the country hobbles along from government to government, patching here and band-aiding". This is proven by the fact that our current Foreign Minister is a dunce!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Godfrey, isn't the most business savvy dear old Net Vasquez and ol' reliable Manuel Esquivel?

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Godfrey,

The problem lies in our political leadership and the "dependocarcy" that they have created since self-government and streghtened since independence. This "dependocracy" is predicated upon an educational system that is feeble and narrow in its purpose.

Our political leaders lord over a population that cowers in their presence, beg them for everything under the sun and still think that a two lane bridge is progressive.

I have always maintained that Belizeans have been duped into a self destructive mind set; one of entitlement. We look down our noses at the Jamaicans (they are too violent), the Guatemalans (they are improvished), the Salvadorans (they only know to till the land). We brag about our 2-1 currency especially when compared to our neighbours' but don't comprehend what that means for our economic growth and wellbeing.

Belizeans as a people we are uneducated in the economic ways of the world, we must either learn the game and play the game by the rules like Singapore did or we can pretend that the game is not on and lose with our hands down. Look at the foolishness with the tour operations the other day, rather than insist that our locals improve their game we move to "protect" them. Short term gain with a long term painful price.

Godfrey, tell us! What will you do to correct this problem next time you're in office? No manifisto promises though.

I love you Belize

Maj Jones

Re: Forget Sovereignty

I must say; well written even if by the wrong writer, or perhaps his timing is simply off? If indeed everyone, not just government would focus on economic growth, what a wonderful country it would be. It's not so much that we have too few people in too large a country, it's that we have too few people that understand our opportunities and know how to make The most of them.

The Hindu, Chinese, Arabs, the North Americans, Central Americans and even the Africans seem to be able to thrive quickly, learning the loopholes quickly, buying not only Belizean
owned property cheap, but buying everything cheap from Belizean morals, ethics and our
very sweat and even our sex.

Our challenge is that we have to learn to build entrepreneurs not only in the private sector, but also in our government; not hustlers, which we often confuse, but real entrepreneurs that know how to be creative instead of demanding, assertive without being facey. Honest, hardworking and intelligent.

Won't be long before we forget what Belizean means...or perhaps Babylon is the answer...

Re: Forget Sovereignty

All our Belizeans run away to the United States and we are left with our immigrants. The country has already taken a dramatic latin shift. There are places in Belize already where you MUST speak Spanish or you will not be understood. The Immigrants who are in Belize are the backbone of our economy. They work our citrus, bananas, and even, to some extent, our sugarcane. They clean our streets, mow our lawns, grow our staples, fruits and vegetables. All the Belizean wants to do is complain. How can we say there are no jobs in this country when people come here to find work? Immigrants do not go where there is no work nor opportunity! Nobody leaves Honduras to go to Nicaragua, they come to BELIZE!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Wanna know why the Guatemalans are cutting our Xate? Because Belizeans won't cut it, nor will they take the time to research and sell to the same market that Guatemalqns are selling our Xate to. Wanna know why Jamaicans are partnering to sell tours in Belize? Because Belizeans won't take the time to organize themselves into a viable business and market themselves to the Cruiselines. We are happy to keep growing subsidized sugarcane, citrus and bananas, but few take the time to be creative.

This absence of creativity even worse in the government bureaucracy, otherwise those taxpayer dollars would be much better used if each and every trip were measuredin terms of money or benefits brought back, and even better if the public would pay attention to the benefits and costs of the agreements that we sign, such as the CSME agreement that opens our service industry to any Caricom resident that wants them.

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Some thoughts on the matter. Some critical factors which we can grqde from 1 to 10 (10 being best for what Belize is doing) .

1. Stable non-corupt government friendly to business (correct incentives)
2. Necessary infracture for development (roads, loans, marketing, etc.)
3. Educated citizenry (secondary and tertiary levels) Science, Engineering, etc.
4. Safe environment (physical safety, health safety)
5. Critical numbers of consumers at home and abroad
6. Effective recruiting of potential entrepreneurs (our geographic and language
advantages)
7. Visionaries (thinkers outside the box)

Well, did we get 50 out of the 70?

Re: Forget Sovereignty

in my opinion, it is a bit simplistic to correlate belize's degree of sovereignty with it's degree of economic independence. in our cliched globalized world, no national economy exists in a vacuum. even the economies of the G5 have difficulties balancing budgets, issuing bonds, and providing social services. granted, however, belize's ~325K persons should be easier to feed, shelter, and cloth than the millions elsewhere . . .

once again, to reiterate what many have already said, our politicians need to step up. the first step would be to change the rhetoric . . . don't question each other's patriotism, instead, question their strategies.

it seems like every week you hear barrow calling musa a traitor to rile up his base.

or the amandala running articles attacking ashcroft, and the politicians that work with him, as carpet-baggers and traitors.

btw, godfrey, has this article been brewing inside of you since you went to geneva to defend the americans that represented belize in cocoba? (just kidding)

Re: Forget Sovereignty

*cocaba

Re: Forget Sovereignty

*cocaba

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Well made point and just brutal enough to get our attention. Nobody should take it personally and everybody should sit up and pay attention. Thanks Godfrey.

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Typical Belizean behaviour here. All that finger-pointing, instead of simply acknowledging what the man is saying is true.

Political parties really have you people messed right up if you always insist on shooting the messenger and ignoring the message. So what if Godfrey was Foreign Minister and didn't do anything to attract foreign investment? That's in the past. Belize will never get ahead if we continue to look at things and comparing to effective or ineffective former administrations.

We should be discussing ways to spread ideas like those expressed in the article, not giving tongue-lashings to former politicians who now, seemingly, have all the good ideas for straightening out some of the many kinks in the governing of our country.

Re: Forget Sovereignty

RAGM,

I have never really agreed with the saying "Don't kill the messenger". For some messages to be delivered, they must be done so by someone with credibility otherwise it is lip service. If you had all these wonderful ideas, but when you were in government none was implemented... then what sort of credibility do you have? If what you refer to as "typical Belizean behaviour" is to be cynical about the ideas of leaders who did nothing for our country but help put us in the mess we are in. If being a typical Belizean means that you question the views of someone who was a part of the previous "maladministration" then...so be it! I am a typical Belizean and proud of it!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

I agree with SOWB in most of godfrey's articles he likes to pretend like he was never part of all the rubbish that exists right now in this country and he is a man with no credibility with belizeans that is why they vote him out. i doubt he believes in half the crap he writes and when he was in government he should have practiced what he is now preaching!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Okay fine. So what now? Does that mean that Godfrey can't take a different stance now that he is OUT of politics? (Not that I really believe Godfrey wants or ever wanted anything more than a chance to feed at the public trough). That kind of thinking is reminiscent of church leaders who condemn a sinner to Hell for eternity simply for committing a sin and forgetting that one can atone for his past transgressions.

I'm sure no one would think that what he is saying isn't relevant or true. Are we going to punish Godfrey with reminders of his past maladministration? What benefit will that bring to anyone? Even if he was prosecuted and convicted of crimes, that earns Belizeans nothing.

Give credit where it's due. A good idea doesn't diminish in value or brilliance simply because the person who came up with it can be perceived as duplicitous or generally unsavoury.

And by "typical Belizean behaviour" I mean the blame game. I'm not here to offend anyone. Just di add mi two cents.

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Question: "Are we going to punish Godfrey with reminders of his past maladministration"
Answer: YES!!!!!!!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

A shining example of the bold investment strategy to which the author refers is the private investment in BELIPO and the Companies Registry under the previous administration.

Re: Forget Sovereignty

A shining example of the bold investment strategy to which the author refers is the private investment in BELIPO and the Companies Registry under the previous administration.

Re: Forget Sovereignty

I should point out that the strategy was so bold and visionary that the investment was made by notable Belizeans across party lines!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

I should point out that the strategy was so bold and visionary that the investment was made by notable Belizeans across party lines!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Pania, nuh fraid fi call name man! Seh da which FIRST PUP's and UDP's were involved. Ah hope da neva none ah mi faaamly!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Ih look like once yu start talk bout the "Royalty" da Belize everybody fraid fi seh anything!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

The real answer is forget godfrey. All of a sudden after he rapes the country he becomes a wise ole fool. All the above he mentioned he caused while he played footsie with hAshcroft. Now he is trying to make himself a legend in belize but fool di talk but no fool di listen.

Re: Forget Sovereignty

That "Operation Restore Jewel" series of articles by Colin BH in the Amandala has got to be the dumbest thing I have read in a while!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Godfrey is another nut trying to make a living...a genuine hypocrite and sycophant....when he was a PUP Minister he did not do nothing for Belize and all of a sudden he wants poor people to hear his sermon...a big looser...

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Godfrey is another nut trying to make a living...a genuine hypocrite and sycophant....when he was a PUP Minister he did not do nothing for Belize and all of a sudden he wants poor people to hear his sermon...a big looser...

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Top Ten reasons why the UDP are too DUMB to govern properly:

10. Gabriel Martinez (need I say why?)
9. Pablo Martinez (need I say why?)
8. Manuel Heredia (need I say why?)
7. Edmund (Clear the Land) Castro (A minister with a self appointed nickname can never be the sharpest tool in the shed)
6. Boots (NEED I SAY WHY? Ditto on the previous comment about Clear the Land)
5. Finnegan (I think the same rule applies to a Minister that goes by one name)
4. The Editor of your party newspaper is a Channel Seven reject!
3. Juliet Thimbriel and Joe Bradley are the official party mouthpieces. That instills confidence doesn't it?
2. Our Ministers have fashion plates on their GOB vehicles. (that one gets me all the time)
1. The Ambassador for Children cannot pronounce the word "Children". Rather she says "Chilvren". I bet she says "Sachiz" for sausage.

Now before you PUP's start finiding all this funny, I should point out that the top ten reasons why you have proven that you are too dumb to govern can be summarized as follows:

10. 1998
9. 1999
8. 2000
7. 2001
6. 2002
5. 2003
4. 2004
3. 2005
2. 2006
1. 2007

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Sorry No. 9 should be Pablo MARIN and not Martinez.. our beloved Minister of Dengue!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

LMAO! Said Barrow yo GOOOOD!

Re: Forget Sovereignty

As of this day forward the author of these "columns" shall no longer be known as Godfrey Patrick Smith but rather I SAID BARROW do hereby annoint and baptize him: "The ex-Honourable, calumniator extraordinaire, he who haveth no shame, of the most notorious order of aspersers, direct descendant of the line of Brutus, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Saboteurs: JUDAS BENEDICT ARNOLD ISCARIOT"

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Said Barrow, hope you add Eamon the demon Courtney and Dean pain and sorrow Barrow to your list.

Re: Forget Sovereignty

Eamon is doing his job...Dean Barrow on the other hand...nobody knows what the hell he is doing! One thing I know he is starting to sound very very much like our former Prime Minister.